Jim's Story - Using LinkedIn to Find A Great Job

A job search isn't about just finding any job, it's often about finding the right fit. Finding the right location, co-workers who share similar interests and flexible work arrangements to allow for personal needs are all important parts of finding the right place to work. Many of our clients are also concerned with how their disability will affect their role in the workplace and their relationships with their colleagues. In many cases, the job search is more art than science, where finding a place to succeed involves looking beyond wage and job tasks towards a greater appreciation of a quality work environment.

This was particularly true for Jim, a 50 year old Champions client with a hearing disability, who wanted to find a workplace where he fit and not just receive a pay cheque.

At Champions, we provide many types of supports to our clients who are seeking employment. Assisting with career planning, resume development, job search techniques, interview skills and networking are just some of the services we provide to our clients. Some may classify these as traditional career services, as they are tools which have been used for a long time to support people in their job search. However, in the past decade a host of new tools have become available to people looking for employment. Open positions and job applications are almost entirely submitted on-line and utilizing social media websites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook can be crucial to finding new positions and networking your way into a new job.

When Jim came to Champions he wanted to polish his resume and update his traditional job search skills as he hadn't needed to look for work in a long time. He was also completely unaware of how much things had changed in the world of job searching. Jim was unaware of LinkedIn and the possibilities of using an internet profile as part of a networking strategy to find employment. As he was open and willing to learn about social media, our case managers worked with him to create a LinkedIn profile to build connections with previous colleagues, friends and employers.

Shortly after creating his profile, a contact on LinkedIn referred him for an open position at their place of employment and the rest is history. Using LinkedIn, Jim quickly discovered that many of the people working for this company were people he already knew who shared similar interests as him and had families whose children were friends with his. Jim landed the job as an office administrator and hasn't looked back - the job was the right fit in in every way.

*Interested in learning more about LinkedIn and how it can enhance your job search? Read our three part series on using LinkedIn to make great connections.*